Peter O’Sullivan of Craughwell AC and Martin McEvilly of GCH both came away with team medals from the British and Irish Masters Cross Country International in Nottingham, England, on Saturday.
The evergreen McEvilly won gold and silver - a gold team medal with the Irish squad, and an individual silver in the over 65 category, while O’Sullivan was third Irish scorer home in the team’s over 40 silver.
On the first day of national cross country finals in Dundalk on Sunday, pride of place went to Craughwell’s u-12 boys team which won silver.
The team raced superbly to finish just behind Ennis Track and just ahead of Westport in a close battle. They were led home by Gavin Lee in 20th followed by Liam Leen 22nd, Sean Cotter 30th, Gavin Kelly 65th, Jack Farrell 73rd, and Oisin Davis 153rd.
GCH’s u-12 girls’ team was fourth team home in a hotly contested category. The team of Kara McLeane, Shauna Brennan, Eimear Rowe and Paula Crisan competed strongly, with McLeane first home in 25th, and Brennan next in 31st.
Aaron Brennan of GCH placed an excellent ninth in the u-14 event, one of Galway’s top individual performances on the day, while Craughwell AC’s star u-18 performer Jamie Fallon took fourth place in the over 6000m, edging closer to the top three in national cross country.
Damian O'Boyle placed 31st in the u18 race also, while Craughwell junior Neil Greaney competed in the Junior men's 6000m, finishing in 13th, with clubmate Paul Joyce in 37th.
At senior level, GCH athlete Gary Thornton, who finished in eighth place, was first home of the senior men’s team with a strong run, followed by Brian Furey and Keith Fallon in 66th and 68th. Rob Hogan, Ollie Mullins and Brian O Connor completed the scorers. Galway were the ninth place county team overall, while Galway ladies were well represented by Laura Shaughnessy, Loughrea AC in 27th and GCH athlete Niamh Hennelly, 43rd, who both had excellent runs.
